Minneapolis Truck Accident Attorney

Attorney Howard Sussman is committed to helping those who were hurt or have lost a loved one in a road accident caused by dangerous and negligent driving of a truck driver.

With over 20 years of service in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, our Minneapolis truck accident attorneys have successfully represented many clients and are focused on helping the victims of car and truck crashes get justice and financial compensation.

Howard Sussman has represented truck accident victims as well as families of those killed in fatal 18-wheeler accidents. We know the federal laws pertaining to the trucking industry, and have obtained substantial settlements and verdicts in truck accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a truck accident, please contact the Minneapolis/ St. Paul truck accident lawyers of the Law Offices of Howard Sussman for a free initial consultation and case evaluation.

Truck accidents are increasingly common

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, thousands of motorists are killed each year by large trucks — those weighing more than 10,000 pounds. 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers and semis fall into this category. Trucking accidents have an increased chance of causing an injury because in most cases, a truck cannot remain upright during an accident. Additionally, truck drivers have limited visibility and maneuverability. These factors greatly contribute to truck accidents. Whether the driver is distracted, falls asleep at the wheel or just isn’t paying attention, accidents caused by these massive trucks can kill or catastrophically injure motorists. Truck drivers and the companies they work for have a responsibility to operate their vehicles in a safe manner. Unsafe driving, oversized cargo loads and various other careless factors put the public and the truck operators in danger.

Unfortunately, truck accidents on the roads of Minnesota are a common occurrence that keeps happening more frequently. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, in 2018 there were 4,623 traffic accidents involving trucks in Minnesota. This is a 7% increase from the 4,317 truck-involved accidents reported to MDoPS in 2017, which in turn was an increase of 4% from 2016.

Causes of Truck Accidents in Minnesota

In terms of safety, trucks are clearly in an advantageous position over passenger vehicles. The 2018 data from the Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts show that fatalities and injuries resulting from accidents involving a truck happens mostly in other vehicles – out of 44 fatalities reported in 2018, only 3 were drivers or passengers of a truck.

The most common causes of accidents involving trucks are:

  • Driver errors – following too closely, careless driving, improper lane usage.

  • Defective trucks – defective breaks, mechanical systems, and other equipment.

  • Other factors – road conditions, oversized and/or overweight trucks, and shoulders: non, low, soft, high.

Types of truck accident injuries

Accidents involving a truck are a serious matter. A driver or a passenger of a vehicle that collides with a truck can sustain heavy injuries or even die (see: wrongful death). Some common types of injuries sustained during a truck accident may include:

  • TBI – traumatic brain injuries including concussions

  • Whiplash and other injuries of the neck and spinal cord

  • Broken bones

  • Severe burns

  • Psychological trauma

Damages we can fight for

If your health suffered as a result of a truck accident you may be entitled to receive monetary compensation in the form of “damages” to cover expenses, such as:

  • Medical costs

  • Lost wages

  • Mental trauma

  • Pain and suffering

  • Mental anguish

  • Disabilities

  • Physical deformations

Compensation for truck accident fatalities

If your loved one has been fatally injured in an accident involving a truck, filing a wrongful death claim may help you recover damages for:

  • Medical bills for your loved one

  • Cost of funeral and funeral related expenses

  • Lost wages of your loved one

  • Mental suffering – trauma, grief, sorrow.

Sussman Law will fight for you

Minnesota Truck accident lawyer Howard Sussman is well adept at getting to the root cause of truck accidents. We investigate negligence by the driver and/or the trucking company, employing a network of experts:

  • Accident reconstruction specialists

  • Human factors experts who can testify about the truck driver’s actions, what a reasonable person would perceive, and how much reaction time the victim(s) had

  • Expert truck mechanics to determine the condition of brakes, tires, lights, the trailer and other equipment at the time of the crash

  • Our own attorneys examine the driver’s history and qualifications, the company’s hiring and training practices, driver’s logs and any tracking devices such as GPS locators

Contact our experienced attorneys today.

Howard Sussman is committed to protecting our client’s rights which has been shown in our ability to succeed in the most challenging and complex truck accident cases. Because truck accident cases can be very complex, you need an experienced and aggressive attorney to successfully handle them. Howard Sussman has that necessary experience. Over the last 20 years, we have brought claims against companies, manufacturers and other individuals responsible for the injuries of our clients.